How to Treat Asthma Naturally
Avoid known triggers., Identify food sensitivities., Assess your own individual triggers.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Avoid known triggers.
In naturopathic medicine, as in mainstream medicine, the first step in treating asthma is to reduce exposure to known triggers by avoiding them as much as possible.
In addition to avoiding known triggers, you need to keep alert to new potential triggers.
This is an important part of the treatment of asthma.
These triggers can include:
Allergens (substances that cause allergic reactions) from things like dust, animal fur, cockroaches, mold, and pollens from trees, grasses, and flowers Irritants including chemicals in the air, cigarette smoke, air pollution, and dust in the environment.
These can also include cleaning and beauty products.
Some medications.
Examples include aspirin, other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and nonselective beta-blockers often used in heart disease.
Chemicals used to preserve foods.
The most common are the sulfites found in a number of foods and drinks.
Upper respiratory infections, such as colds and other viral infections of the lungs.
Exercise and other physical activities.
Cold or dry air.
Other health conditions, such as heartburn (acid reflux), stress and sleep apnea. -
Step 2: Identify food sensitivities.
One study indicated that 75% of children with asthma have food sensitivities.Food sensitivities are most commonly identified by a process of trial and error, though lab tests are becoming more common and more available.
Food sensitivities are not the same thing as food allergies, even though the terms are often and incorrectly used interchangeably.
Food allergies involve a specific type of immune molecule, an IgE molecule, which triggers the release of histamine and other allergic mediators.
Food allergies can be determined using a skin test.
Food sensitivities involve the immune response, but use quite different molecules:
IgG, IgM and sometimes IgA.Common food sensitivities include gluten (a protein found in any wheat product) and casein (a protein found in dairy products).
Removing gluten and/or casein completely from the diet can significantly decrease the frequency and severity of asthma attacks.Other foods that have been associated as asthma triggers include eggs, citrus, peanuts, and chocolate. , It has to be emphasized that asthma triggers can be unique to each individual with asthma.
The best way to find these triggers is to keep a diet diary, recording everything you eat along with any reactions you experience.
Keep this diary for at least 2 weeks.
This should allow you to identify what, if any, food triggers you may have.
The treatment is to simply avoid these foods completely. -
Step 3: Assess your own individual triggers.
Detailed Guide
In naturopathic medicine, as in mainstream medicine, the first step in treating asthma is to reduce exposure to known triggers by avoiding them as much as possible.
In addition to avoiding known triggers, you need to keep alert to new potential triggers.
This is an important part of the treatment of asthma.
These triggers can include:
Allergens (substances that cause allergic reactions) from things like dust, animal fur, cockroaches, mold, and pollens from trees, grasses, and flowers Irritants including chemicals in the air, cigarette smoke, air pollution, and dust in the environment.
These can also include cleaning and beauty products.
Some medications.
Examples include aspirin, other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and nonselective beta-blockers often used in heart disease.
Chemicals used to preserve foods.
The most common are the sulfites found in a number of foods and drinks.
Upper respiratory infections, such as colds and other viral infections of the lungs.
Exercise and other physical activities.
Cold or dry air.
Other health conditions, such as heartburn (acid reflux), stress and sleep apnea.
One study indicated that 75% of children with asthma have food sensitivities.Food sensitivities are most commonly identified by a process of trial and error, though lab tests are becoming more common and more available.
Food sensitivities are not the same thing as food allergies, even though the terms are often and incorrectly used interchangeably.
Food allergies involve a specific type of immune molecule, an IgE molecule, which triggers the release of histamine and other allergic mediators.
Food allergies can be determined using a skin test.
Food sensitivities involve the immune response, but use quite different molecules:
IgG, IgM and sometimes IgA.Common food sensitivities include gluten (a protein found in any wheat product) and casein (a protein found in dairy products).
Removing gluten and/or casein completely from the diet can significantly decrease the frequency and severity of asthma attacks.Other foods that have been associated as asthma triggers include eggs, citrus, peanuts, and chocolate. , It has to be emphasized that asthma triggers can be unique to each individual with asthma.
The best way to find these triggers is to keep a diet diary, recording everything you eat along with any reactions you experience.
Keep this diary for at least 2 weeks.
This should allow you to identify what, if any, food triggers you may have.
The treatment is to simply avoid these foods completely.
About the Author
Debra Jenkins
Professional writer focused on creating easy-to-follow cooking tutorials.
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